When you're really thinking hard about mathematics, you're in your own world. And you're cushioned from other things. - Jim Simons

... Be guided by beauty ... Beauty is an aesthetic. There is beauty in things that work really well — the way a company is run, or the way a theorem comes out.
… Don’t give up easily. Stick to something. Not to the point where it’s clearly insane, but be persistent.
… Getting fired once can be a good experience. You just don’t want to make a habit of it.
… Work with the smartest people you can. Hopefully smarter than you even. It amplifies your effect.
… Hire the smartest people you possibly can … Work collaboratively, and let everyone know what everyone else is researching, so people aren’t wasting their time.
… You never know where good science is going to take you.

Generally speaking, I favor increased levels of support for mathematics and physical and life science. Aside from the inevitable positive impact on the world’s economy, the advancement of knowledge lifts humanity’s spirits, opening our eyes to the wonders of the universe.

Be guided by beauty. I really mean that. I think pretty much everything I've done has had an aesthetic component—at least to me. Now, you might think, "Building a company that's trading bonds? What's so aesthetic about that?" What's aesthetic about it is doing it right. Getting the right kind of people, and approaching the problem, and doing it right. And if you feel that you're the first one to do it right, that's a terrific feeling. It's a beautiful thing to do something right.